Into The Darkness
by Jadeblueafterglow17
Summary: On a dark night, a trip to the Carter mansion inevitably changes the life of one John Truman Carter III.
1. Over the River & Through The Woods

**In The Darkness**

**This is an ER Carter Fanfiction based on an amazing, astounding fanfiction story by one of the greatest authors that ever typed a story. I tried to reach her for permission via old emails but I could not. This story' is similar to the premise of Laura Castellano's (aka Texxasrose) X-Files fic "Storms We Cannot Weather."**

This ER version would take place pre stabbing, and there is no Romano, Lucy, Abby or Kovac and Carter is still regularly visiting his Gamma.

_Disclaimers: I don't own any of the ER characters they belong to Warner Brothers and I would keep John Carter so freaking busy he would have very little time to PLAY doctor if he were really mine. Enjoy & Review_

_**Chapter 1 - Over the River and Through The Woods**_

"Mister, please open your eyes again, we're gonna die out here if you don't open your eyes." She gently tapped his faced and pried open his left eye. His right eye was swollen shut and blood covered that side of his face in thick patches. He was barely breathing, crushed, and bleeding and they'd been stuck in the rain for what seemed like an eternity.

The rain had finally let up as the young woman tried desperately to wake him again. He'd said his name was Carter. She didn't know if that was his first name or his last name, but she knew he was in serious trouble.

(Two hours earlier)

He looked at the tiny mirror in his locker and glanced at the gaunt image staring back at him. He had been awake for the better of almost two days, with only blinks of sleep in between. "What genius came up with the idea that newbies should kill themselves with back to back 30 + hour shift separated only by one day off." he thought to him self caustically.

As Carter looked at the dots of perspiration on his forehead, he swiped his face with a cloth, and ran his fingers through his damp brown locks of hair.

He loosened his red paisley tie, unbuttoned the top button of his pristine white shirt, and with one last glance he grabbed his keys, and shoved his stethoscope and tools in his locker. Carter glanced through the lounge window and tensed as he noticed the fierce wind blowing the tree out front and heard the rumbles of thunder shaking the window.

He stood staring. Something ominous was brewing. Goosebumps spread on his arms as a chill ran down his spine.

He didn't hear the door swoosh open behind him.

"Hey Carter, how long have you been..." Carter's keys flung out of his hands at the speed of a bullet and crashed into the coffee pot shattering the glass to bits. His lab coat flew into mid air. He spun around so quickly to greet the sound that startled him, he fell flat on his butt.

Dennis Gant stared at coffee running in rivulets of chocolate off the counter, and looked at the chain of events in open-mouth horror and fascination before returning his eyes to Carter's face. When their eyes met they both burst out laughing.

"Holy hell man!...Scare much?" he said wiping the tears of laughter from his face. Dennis extended his hand to help Carter up but he just waved him off and got up and dusted himself off.

Carter grabbed paper towels and began soaking up the mess he made on the floor and the counter.

"Everything alright in here?" Carol asked poking her head in the door.

"Yeah, sorry Carol...we have another coffee pot casualty though."

"Damn." That's the second one this month. I'll go steal another one from 4th floor. I hate those nurses."

Dennis helped Carter clean up the mess, and was rinsing off Carter's keys when he glanced over at a flash of red.

"Man, be careful, you cut the hell out of your hand." he said as he noticed Carter's palm bleeding. Carter, dumped the remainder of the glass in the trash and sprayed Lysol on the counter.

"I'm okay it's just a scratch."

" You are a walking disaster man! Good thing you're off...you look like hell."

"Just tired, it was a long 38 hours with Benton riding my ass like Seabiscuit."

Dennis chuckled.

Carter continued. "I'm heading out before anything else happens."

"Well, try not to burn the apartment down." Dennis replied sarcastically.

"Ha, ha." Carter smiled wanly. You've got the apartment to yourself when you re done I'm going to see my Gamma."

"Yeah, I gathered from the 60 messages your Gamma left on the machine that she wanted to see you."

"She'll disown me if I don't get out there soon, so I'll spend the night...After being on for the last few days it'll be nice to be fussed over."  
>" It's storming out there. Be safe bro."<p>

"You got it." Carter said as Dennis high fived him with his injured hand as Dennis left the lounge,

'Shit!" Cater exclaimed cradling his throbbing hand.

"Sorry man, see you later.

**End Chapter 1 So what happened? Want more? And who should I make the stranger...I refuse to make it either of the Abby's or Lucy so don't ask! : 0 Review please**


	2. A Dark Place

**Chapter 2 - A Dark Place**

By the time Carter made it to his car, after bandaging his hand and grabbing clean clothes and toilietries, he emerged on the front stoop of his apartment complex, clean and comfortable. He'd changed into a button-down blue shirt and blue jeans. He assured his Gamma he'd be there in an hour or so.

The amber streetlight in front of his apartment flickered off and on and gave nearly no visibility. Clouds hung low and threatening, an unusual sight in a dark, moonless, late winter Chicago sky. The wind was wicked and pieces of trash, leaves, and debris could be seen racing down the street as though they had purpose . His freshly combed hair was billowing in the wind.

A bright streak of white lighting sliced across the sky like a zipper followed by a roar of thunder that seemed to shake the Earth beneath his feet. As a fat rain drop exploded on his forehead, the water running down the tip of his long nose, made him shiver. He hurriedly ran to his jeep, zipped up the side window, and headed on his way. Carter plugged his cell phone into his car charger and placed the cellphone in the cupholder. After his lengthy conversation with Gamma his cell battery was nearly dead.

The sudden downpour made seeing the roads almost impossible. Were it not for the lights of the oncoming cars and the frequent streaks of lightning, he would not be able to see at all. As he neared an intersection he saw cars lining up and blue lights flashing in the distance. He wondered if someone had had an accident. The rain was so heavy he decided not to get out and see if there was trouble, instead he turned around on the highway to the honks and dismays of the other vehicles around him and headed towards the back roads that led to the Carter mansion.

The rain had not let up, and the weariness of the past few days was beginning to catch up with him. The cold from his defroster was not doing its job on his window, but was acting more as the sandman; its monotonous drone from the compressor lulling him to sleep. Carter turned on the radio to 93 WXRT..

_Now I lay me down to sleep_

_**(Now I lay me down to sleep)**_

_ I pray the Lord my soul to keep_

_**(I pray the Lord my soul to keep ) **_

_If I die before I wake_

_**(If I die before I wake) **_

_I pray the Lord my soul to take_

_** (I pray the Lord my soul to take)**_

"C'mon Carter, keep it together." he shook his head. "I can't believe I even refer to my own fool self as Carter. " He looked in the rear view mirror.

" It's Dr. Carter to you." he said aloud and clicked his tongue confidently.

"And you are losing your mind."

_**"Hush little baby...don't say a word**_

_** And nevermind that noise you heard**_

_**It's just the beast under your bed**_

_**In your closet in you head"**_

Carter turned the radio up and took the sleeve of his jacket and wiped the fog from his windshield. He reached into his glove compartment to retrieve a towel and was surprised to look up and see a pair of headlights speeding towards him. He swerved away, but not before the car broadsided him. Before a scream could escape his lips he could feel the breath stolen from his chest and a feeling that he was spinning.

_**"Exit Life**_

_**Enter Night**_

_**Take my hand**_

_**Off to never never land"**_

For a split second he was flying and then a crack in his skull that travelled the length of his spine pitched him into a world of sudden blackness.


	3. Flying

_**Chapter 3 - 46 minutes later**_

Cold. That's what hit John Carter first. He was cold and very wet. He lay trembling in the sticky mud. The icy shiver that followed awakened the rest of his senses causing a muted scream to erupt from his chest. Unable to actually scream he realized because his chest was crushed. He began coughing, gagging when the coppery taste filled the back of his throat. The human in him was scared, the doctor in him was terrified.

His right arm was flung above his head and did not respond at all. He tried to move his left arm from beneath him and it moved slightly. As it inched upward something in his ribs snapped and a piercing pain slammed through his chest. His face immediately grew slack and his eyes closed as his head laid in the puddle of mud mixed with his fresh blood. _ 1 hour later

"Cook County ER, how may I help you?" Frank answered in between bites of his chili dog. He scooped up an errant drop from the receiver and flicked his finger into his mouth as he elicited a look of disgust from the nurses and doctors standing nearby.

"Yes, this is Millicent Carter, I am looking for my grandson John Truman Carter, III."

"Oh...uh yes ma'am Mrs. Carter. He's already left. He left over an hour ago." he stammered.

"He hasn't made it home yet, and I can't reach him on his cellular. If you hear from him, please have him call me,. The weather is really bad and I'm worried about him."

"Yes, ma'am, Mrs. Carter, absolutely, I sure will ma'am." Frank replied. Peter Benton walked up and looked at him oddly as he straightened his tie. Frank abruptly hung up the phone and sighed with relief. Mark Green walked up behind Benton and whistled like a wolf.

"Peter...got a hot date? You look good enough to take to China town."

"I'm meeting an old fraternity brother for dinner and drinks at a country club."

"You don't seem the country club type Dr. Benton..." Frank remarked.

"Shut up Frank...Who was that on the phone?"

"Oh.. That was Carter's Grandmother, apparently the old biddy's got her panties in a bunch because Carter hasn't made it to the bat cave yet."

"You're an ass Frank." Mark and Benton said at the same time. He looked at them with indignant surprise.

"I can't believe Carter didn't call his Gamma and tell her he was running late...he did leave some time ago." Mark said flipping through a chart.

"Well the weather is nasty out there, maybe he is driving really carefully. Either way, he's a grown man, I'm sure he's fine." Peter said, trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

"He's not answering his pager and his cell keeps going to voicemail." Carol announced leaning against the counter.

"Well I'm headed in that general direction. if you haven't heard anything in the next 30 minutes call me. I will stop by the Carter mansion and make sure his jeep didn't stall along the way. Good night all. "

"Good night Dr. Benton" they all chimed in.

_ A sound kept resonating through his ears...at first he couldn't make it out, but as he came closer to the surface of consciousness it became clearer.

"A horn..." he thought..." it's a horn" he knew it was too far away to be his..." He wondered where the sound was coming from as he blinked away the rain drops from his lashes.

The rain was now just falling in misting droplets. Carter opened his eyes and wiggled the fingers on his trapped, bruised, but unbroken left arm. He could feel the cold metal of his jeep crushing him. As his head ached a memory flashed through his mind. The rain, a car, headlights, careening off the road, rolling and flipping, and flying through the glass windshield before his heart fluttered dangerously, pounding in his chest. He had been thrown from his jeep as it had rolled a time or two and he was now pinned beneath it lying in a ditch.

He tried to mentally assess his injuries. He knew at the very least he had multiple broken ribs, because each breath came with a fire so intense in his chest he would scream, if he had the air in lungs to do so. His right arm was above him broken in multiple places and felt like it was twice its size. His hips felt crushed, but thankfully he was still aware of his legs as he could feel something sharp and jagged cutting into his left thigh. He was so cold. He had to get out of here. Maybe the other car would send for help he prayed.

A cough formed in his chest and as it escaped his mouth. The pain nearly made him black out again. He fought for his life to stay conscious.

" Help." he said in no more than a whisper..."Somebody...please...help.." he said a little louder... As he listened intently he heard the horn stop.

"Help!" he screamed again and launched into a coughing fit, when he was done a tinge of red spots dotted his lips. He closed his eyes and whispered. "Please help me." His labored breathing slowed his face grew slack and he never heard the voice of the young woman above call to him..

"Hello? Is anybody down there?" she screamed shining her flashlight down into the ditch landing on the upturned still spinning tires of Carter's jeep.

"Oh God...what have I done." she prayed beginning to scramble down the hill.

_**Kalbluetig got mixed in with this story somehow at the bottom! Sorry! Fixed that**_


	4. Into the Light

_Previously..._

_"Help!" he screamed again and launched into a coughing fit, when he was done a tinge of red spots dotted his lips. He closed his eyes and whispered. "Please help me." His labored breathing , slowed as his face grew slack. He never heard the voice of the young woman above call to him.._

_"Hello? Is anybody down there?" she screamed shining her flashlight down into the ditch landing on the upturned still spinning tires of Carter's jeep._

_"Oh God...what have I done." she prayed beginning to scramble down the hill._

**And Now...**

**_**Chapter 4 - Into the Light**_**

The woman's steady slide came to a halt as she moved close to the car in the darkness. The flashlight tumbled from her grasp as she clamored on the ground with panicked breaths to find it. Her hands touched muddy roots, branches, and something slimy she'd rather not think about before the light was uncovered from the muddy depths again.

"Oh thank God" she breathed. She wiped her arm on her forehead as a trickle of blood came from a cut above her hair line.

She wiped the flashlight onto her once clean khaki pants as she caught notice of a body beneath the upturned jeep. She made her way stumbling across the slippery slope as she came to rest beside him. She laid the flashlight above his head so that it shone down upon him .

She swept her brown hair behind her ears and carefully placed two trembling fingers on his neck. John gasped as his eyes popped open. He quickly glanced at her face and looked around realizing he was still trapped.

"Help, please..." he whispered a tremor of terror in his voice.

"Shh...it's okay..." she soothed stroking his cheek. She took the flashlight and shined it on his extremities, cringing at the swolen limbs and his lower body dissappearing beneath the vehicle.

" Can you tell me where it hurts...?"

Carter rolled his eyes into his head . "Everywhere."

"I know. I'm sorry. Stupid question. I'm gonna help you okay, I promise." She spoke so quickly her words jumbled together, Carter found her words undecipherable.

He tried desperately to keep his eyes focused on the stranger straddled beside him. He could not make out the features of her face, his swollen eye barely detecting her a female, the lines of her face appearing to be friendly.

She took off her jacket and wrapped it around him gently. The movement, even as gentle as it was, sent bolts of pain through his chest.

"Can you tell me your name?"

He thought for a moment... "name" his memory was becoming fuzzier with each passing moment, but the words formed on his lips before he knew he'd spoken. He pryed his dry tongue from the roof of his mouth.

"Ca...Carter."

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen...I'll get us out of this I promise."

His eyes were glassy as he stared through her, the light from her flashlight flickering dangerously low beside her.

"Can...Can't help, sorry..." he whispered shivering.

"S'kay, I'll get us out of this. I may have to go walk and find help." A look of terror registered across his face.

"Don't go..." he stammered." his breath hitching, way too shallow, as if each inhale was painstaking task.

She placed her hand on his chest to calm him, but did not belay his fear. She knew she would have to leave him if they were going to get out of this mess.

"I can't leave you like this." she stammered, trying to move his head out of the mud.

"Mister, please open your eyes again, we're gonna die out here if you don't open your eyes." She gently tapped his faced and pried open his left eye. His right eye was swollen shut and blood covered that side of his face in thick patches. He was barely breathing, crushed, and bleeding and they'd been stuck in the rain for what seemed like an eternity. She knew no one would miss her for a few hours atleast but certainly no one would come looking for her until she didn't show up for work. She prayed leaving the car door open in the middle of the empty road would signal someone to call for help. The nearly 30 foot drop from the roadway had them well hidden in the muddy creek below.

The croak of a frog beside her startled her as she tried desperately to shine the light onto his hips, hoping she could somehow get the car off of him. She turned back to find him completely unresponsive again. A streak of terror filled her as she feared he'd slipped away. A sudden roar of thunder, and simultaneous flash of lightning from the sky startled them both and he jumped involuntairly and moaned at the insuing pain, that followed. She thought she would cry for this unknown stranger, thankful she was not yet a murderer.

She tried desperately to wake him again. He'd said his name was Carter. She didn't know if that was his first name or his last name, but she knew he was in serious trouble.

She couldn't believe she wasted precious time asking him if he was hurt. He was crushed by a vehicle of course he was hurt. His short quick breaths told her he was in pain and was struggling to breathe. She touched his face and found his skin to be cold and clammy to the touch, but she wasn't sure if that was because of his injuries or because of the unrelenting rain and cold.

Staring at his swollen arm above his head she imagined his pain had to be unbearable, "No wonder he was out cold". The bone sticking out of the flesh made her ill. She touched his hair once again and stepped away from him. She began her arduous climb back up the muddy embankment. The rain began to fall again; it was cold and wet falling on her back. She tried desperately to climb as she panted and screamed for help.

She noticed a change in her surroundings, suddenly the area above the tree line was shrouded in dim blue lights flashing as the sounds of a car door slamming echoed above her.

"Oh God I think someone's here! I gotta go get them, you just stay here okay..?" she asked him but noticed his eyelids had already drooped shut. He was trembling like a leaf, his teeth chattering to some mindless rhythm.

_**Please Review... I need FEEDBACK!**_


	5. Purgatory

_**Into the Darkness **_

_**Chapter 5 - Purgatory**_

Famous for its wind whipping through the conifers and evergreens, the unusual early spring storm in Chicago seemed to hang on for its life for hours. Rain would fall in fat droplets in a mad frenzy, and then stop almost as suddenly as it started to be replaced by tiny needles of water that seemed to streak through the sky and felt like pin pricks.

The roads were usually dark and empty this far out in the country side. A lone black Infiniti approached a highway curve. Turning his windshield wipers on slower, he slowed to see an obstacle in the road ahead.

Dr. Peter Benton drove carefully up the winding road and slowed as he noticed blue lights flashing up ahead.  
>It appeared to be a cop car and a crashed vehicle. He carefully pulled alongside as the officer sat in his car talking on the radio. He paused for a moment staring down at his brand new and only Armani suit. Getting it wet would be a travesty, but his curiosity and damned Hippocratic oath got the better of him. He looked at the vehicle. The stopped vehicle was totaled, its front fender crushed in on the driver s side. The driver s door was open and the windshield was missing. He came to a full stop as he rolled down the window to address the officer.<p>

I'm a doctor. Did you need any help here?" Giant raindrops pelted him as he shielded his eyes.

"The car looks to be abandoned, there are skid marks, and evidence of an accident, but I suspect it s a hit and run."  
>The police officer pulled his rain gear snug around his face as he peered inside the vehicle. Benton was about to roll up his window when he heard:<p>

There is a lot of blood on the steering wheel...and a note." He held up the note inside the car.

Peter, utterly intrigued, abandoned his car, grabbing his umbrella and ruining his chances of making it to his dinner date on time.

I gotta call this in. It says "send help there's a car in the ditch." The cop jogged back to his cruiser and radioed the information back requesting an ambulance and assistance to the scene. Peter stood there dumfounded reading the note when he hears the sound of an approaching car.

Through the pitter patter of rain drops on the dark highway, a sound was heard as the officer turned on his spotlight towards the side of the cliff.

"Did you hear that?" Peter asked the officer as they walked towards edge of the drop off. The officer shined his flashlight on the ground watching the fat rain drops seem to fall from the ground up.

"Help! Please Help" the barely audible voice shouted

"There...I heard it again it..."

" HONK!" The car behind them started to lay in on his horn. He'd been sitting behind Peter's car for ten minutes now and there was now a car behind him.

The police officer callously un-holstered his weapon and walked toward the vehicle and pointed it towards the driver. The male driver's eyes grew wide as saucers as he held his trembling hands up in the air. The officer pulled his gun down and raced back toward the edge of the shoulder. He followed the path of the skid marks to where Peter was now kneeling. He held in his hand part of the front bumper of a vehicle.

"Help!" the whimper came again from the darkness.

As the two men stood at the edge of the shoulder and peered down a streak of yellow lightning lit up the sky quickly illuminating a muddy and bloodied human figure struggling on the muddy slope of the ditch and a car upside down at the bottom, before it was followed by an Earth shaking rumble of thunder. The officer and Peter Benton starred at each other, their mouths agape with shock.

Peter Benton wasted little time; the rain was coming down in stinging droplets now as he removed his jacket and dress shirt and was now down to his Hanes white t-shirt. He turned and positioned himself to climb down the side of the hill feet first.

"Help is on the way, just hang on." The cop shouted shining his flashlight on the victim.

"Sir you can't go down there, just wait till help arrives."

Peter was already a third of the way down the muddy embankment and sliding precariously over the rocks and mud towards the woman. He lost his grip and nearly fell right into her making one of her hands slip. He reached out and grabbed her left hand as he steadied himself digging in the tips of his shoes into the edge. He held on tight to her icy fingers. There was a tense pause as they stared at each other panting. Neither of them sure what to say to each other in this bleak darkness, they said nothing.

She was thankful to be face to face with another live soul. He was ever curious how she found herself to be in this frightening predicament. Suddenly they were bathed in a white light. The police officers car was now facing the embankment and the spotlight on his driver s side rear view mirror was now facing in their direction. A booming voice resonated through the blanket of quiet that covered the nighttime noises.

Rescue and ambulance will be here in 5 minutes hang tight."

"Are you okay?" Peter asked pulling the shaking woman towards him. The light rain falling obscured her face in the darkness however, he could see in the dim light that she was badly shaken. He pulled her and began trying to pull her up beside him.

"No.." She said softly...through chattering teeth.

" We have to get you out of here."

She looked over her shoulder at the jeep down below barely illuminated by the spotlight. Peter followed her eyes to the car below.

"Someone's in the car?" He noticed the wedding band on her finger beneath his hand as he continued to hold her shaking fingers.

"Please you have ...have ttttto to.. hhhhelp ..." she begged holding firm to his shoulder. "Please help ...him..."

Benton stared at her for a moment. Who was this woman? Why was she in a ditch in the rain with a vehicle upside down. Had she been drinking, was she lost and missed a path or was she just a careless a victim herself of another's carelessness. Through the fog of his thoughts the words she said rang through his mind and he turned his eyes towards the upside down jeep 15 feet below him.

There he could see the remains of a badly damaged vehicle and with it the life of some individual hanging in the balance. He turned back towards her, as her lips sprung to life in that nanosecond of clarity.

"...help Ca..Car ter..." The words tumbled out through chattering teeth. The color drained from Benton's face. The name she spoke echoed in his ear and choked at his heart like a fist. He looked down at the wreckage, not believing that he didn't recognize the vehicle.

"Carter? Did you say Carter?" The woman had a confused look on her face as she slowly nodded.

"What does he look like?"

"its..dddddark...but brown hair...bbbown eyes, very young..."

Recognition dawned on his face as he released the woman's hand, looked down and quickly scaled the embankment towards the bottom. His foot was caught on a root or branch and he found himself tumbling in a barrel roll towards the bottom. He bounced once off a hill near the bottom and landed with an "oof" at the bottom in the mud on his bottom. Slightly dazed but more determined than ever, he sat up quickly and tried to locate the car again in the dim light. He trudged along the muddy bottom and found the car, climbed over the hood and around and froze in his tracks. There lying in the grass and the muck was a man who looked remarkably like his intern, only half-visible, lying deathly still, pale and trapped under his own vehicle.

He starred with a look of awe and horror as he snapped out of it and quickly moved to kneel beside him. He noticed his arm above his head and tried to see if there was a pulse in it. When he found there was none. He frantically took two trembling fingers and placed them on his carotid artery in his neck, and waited, ...and waited. As his heart began to sink, he moved his finger ever so slightly and felt a weak beat under his fingers followed by several more. He almost cried as he looked up to the heavens and exhaled.

He placed his ear on Carter's chest and could barely hear any air moving at all. Sirens could be heard up above as the area above him was now bathed in a glow of red white and blue lights.

Benton stared at the large metal bar from the jeep which had Carter pinned under the vehicle. His pelvis was more than likely fractured and the jeep lay across him at an angle trapping his right arm and crushing his abdomen. His legs disappeared into the darkness beneath, and he didn't want to think about the damage that could be caused by his current predicament. He removed the soaking wet jacket from Carter's body and looked at his face. Even in a state of deep unconsciousness he looked in pain. His mouth hung slightly ajar, his hair was plastered on his forehead tangled in a mat of blood and scars. Peter unbuttoned the bottom of Carter's blue shirt and put his warm hands inside probing his ribs and stomach. The stomach was tight and warmer than the surrounding areas. Benton sighed inwardly and closed his eyes as the gravity of the situation sank in.

He placed a hand on Carter's face, and gave a gentle but firm rub to his sternum. It pained him to even do it, the last thing he wanted to do was cause him pain, but to his dismay it elicited no response from him. He balled his fist up and used his knuckles and more vigorously rubbed his sternum again, and was rewarded with a low rolling moan, music to Benton's ears.

Carter slightly opened his left eye and tried to peer out. His face was expressionless as he began coughing, choking and gagging...flecks of blood once again stained his lips. Benton leaned in closer as he saw him try to whisper.

"What is it Carter?"

Carter took a painful breath and whispered...

"Th...this...hell?"

*****************Please click review and give me your thoughts on the story so far **********************


	6. Rescue

_**Into the Darkness **_

_**"Why yes Carter, this is hell...and you will be my intern for all of eternity."**_

_**Disclaimers: They're not mine...**_

Note: Not a lot of love being shown for this fic so I almost abandoned it, but I figured I might as well finish it...over the next few weeks when schools out for SUMMER! Chapter 7 & 8 are not behaving in my mind like they should, I think I have writers block...I need to watch ER and get my juices going again!

**_Chapter 6 - Rescue_**

The fire department had already began their descent down the hill. With the paramedics in tow they managed to find a route down the hill less steep and the area was now illuminated with multiple bright spot lights. A stretcher was produced and was harnessed to a crane to lift the body of the victim out of the ravine. There was however still the problem of the car.

Carter stirred with the arrival of the addtional noise and squinted at the bright lights. He found it was a litte easier to breathe as now he had the aide of an oxygen mask on his nose and mouth. He once again found himself face to face with Dr. Benton, a frown of worry creased his forehead. Dr Benton looked down at him as he made preparations to stabilize Carter when the car was lifted off of him. He saw the confusion and fear in his eyesand he placed a firm comforting hand on his chest.

"No, man it's not hell. Take it easy Carter...I'm gonna get you out of this." He whispered. A paramedic was on Carter's other side as Peter Benton barked orders to him to start a D5W solution running wide open,and to be prepared to get Heparin on board if he threw a clot.

Within moments two inflatable jacks were in place and air was moving the vehicle. Even with the oxygen mask on Carter's mouth, his scream of agony was heard loud and clear. The movement of the vehicle bouncing on his injured frame was too much as he writhed in pain panting and coughing. In a matter of minutes the car was off of him and the damage to his extremities was revealed. His right leg was swollen to twice its normal size and twisted at a superhuman angle, bursting through the seam in his jeans in a blood soaked mess. His left leg did not fare much better as a sharp piece of metal had carved a path through his leg and was now dangling from his body like a bloody corpse.

Peter Benton found himself awestruck at the sight of his friend's legs...he couldn't believe this had happened to him. "Friend." Yes, he was more than just an intern, more than just the pain in the ass he could be, Carter constantly challenged him. He was indeed a friend. He broke from his trance of squeezing Carter's hand tightly to find thatthe hand cradled in his was now limp.

"We have to move him now!" Benton shouted. Looking into his closed eye lids, he saw that Carter's face was covered in cold perspiration and it was painfully obvious that he was in shock. The paramedics and Benton managed to carefully move Carter onto a stretcher. They bound his broken arm to his chest and strapped the offending metal piece to his leg until it could be safely removed. He was hooked to eight cables as the climb to the road's surface with the stretcher began. As they arrived at the top Benton sprang to life.

"We're taking him to County..."

"Sir actually Mercy is only..."

"I don't give a damn. I am a Cook County doctor, and ths is also a County doc. He is also the son of a very wealthy family, and unless you want his death on your hands you will do as I say." Benton demanded as the loaded him into the waiting ambulance.

He continued squeezing the continents of the IV fluid into his veins hoping to rapidly infuse fluids into his body to replace the lost fluids.

As he was climbing into the back of the cab he was startled by a hand grabbing his sleeve.

"Please can I come with you." she demanded. It was the female driver, the one who'd found Carter.

"I'm sorry...Ms..."

"Call me Sam"

"Sam...there's no room, let the other ambulance take you to County General that's where we're going" he said and slammed the door. He beat on the cabin fron door and screamed " Go."

Sam stood there dumbfounded as she soon found a blanket draped over her shoulder and was led to an awaiting ambulance.

########################################################################

Cook County General Hospital 10:48 p.m.

Jerry and Malik sat on the counter at the information desk staring and talking animatedly about a picture on the hospital computer. Mark Green had his feet propped up on the desk as he scribbled his name in a chart, placed it in a neat stack and began reading another. He listened quietly to to the banter between the nurses as they discused a soap opera. He wasn't sure who Nicholas, Sharon and Phyllis were but it sounded like they certainly had a more interesting sex life than he did. His shift was nearing its end and he was thankful the ER had finally slowed down enough that the next shift of doctors could take over a little early. Everyone was taking a break. Well, almost everyone.

" If I never see another piece of pizza again it will be too soon." Doug Ross dumped his labcoat in a hamper and tossed his latex gloves in a biohazard trashcan, a look of revulsion spread across his face.

"How many kids were affected?" Carol asked staring up at the board. Almost every patient on the board was a Pedes patient, only two seemed sick enough to head up to medicine for the night.

" Nine. Poor kids will be scarred for life. Spoiled sausage pizza and projectile vomiting...happy birthday indeed. Dr.'s Del Amico, & Gant are with them now." he sighed taking a seat next to Mark.

Dr. Weaver walked in ready to begin her shift, her trademark pronounced limp a not slowing her down a bit. She noticed the staff seemed to be on hiatus as the doors closed with a swoosh behind her.

The radio crackled to life beside Jerry and Malik. "Cook County, This is EMA 14 we got two coming in one major one minor, two car accident do you read?"

Malik picked up the radio "Yeah we got you, do you have a staus on the major..."

"Occupant was trapped under the car..._**'get two bags of warm saline and get some o-neg ready and waiting'** _" the paramedic began and was interrupted by another distant but distant voice. All of the ears around the desk perked up and began listening carefully.

Mark stood up and grabbed the radio the radio from Malik, "EMA 14 please repeat on the major."

"County eta is one minute, we got two of your docs here. A Dr. Benton requests warm saline, O neg, and he said book an OR..." Suddenly the reciever went silent as everyone was now standing at attention. Sirens could be heard pulling up. They all stared at each other wondering why Peter Benton was in an ambulance and who the other doctor was with them. Dr. Weaver turned to face the doors as the first ambulance came in to the back deck.

Mark placed the receiver down and looked around at the faces around him. He quickly thought about the doctors that were present and the ones who weren't, and suddenly he felt sick.

" I'll get the saline," he announced, as Malik shuffled to get the blood requested from the lab.

The ambulance opened its doors and the first passenger was unloaded on a stretcher.

" Female, no ID on her , she lost consciousness en route, they were calling her Sam earlier. Head on collision, suffering from contusions, head and face lacerations, hypothermia, BP 90/60 temp 95 pulse 120." he announced as they ushered the woman in the building.

The siren from the next ambulance could be heard. Kerry ushered her in.

Dr. Dennis Gant came out to assist as they headed toward the trauma ward.

" Jerry what's open?"

"Trauma one for the minor...trauma three is being set up for the major," Kerry, Connie and Gant disappeared into Trama one with their patient.

The second ambulance pulled up as Mark Doug and Carol ran out the door to meet it. When they opened the door, their hearts sank. Benton could be seen perform chest compressions as an ambu bag was in motion over the victims mouth. They heard him scream out in anger and frustration as they stood paralyzed in the moment.

"Damn it Carter...breathe...we're here don't you dare die on me, breathe!"

**End Chapter 6 The next chapter may be the last chapter...lets hope its a good one eh? As always...Click review! : ) Sam is short for?**


	7. Life and Death

**Disclaimer: They are not my characters...but Noah Wyle will do in a fix. Yum!**

_Into the Darkness_

_**Chapter 7 - Life and Death**_

The gurney was pulled out of the rear of the ambulance and Benton temporarily stopped chest compressions so that the gurney could be transported inside the building. For a moment time stopped. In the bright and unforgiving lights of County General Peter was able to take a look at his fallen intern. They were both covered in mud and must look like quite the sight. However, Carter looked more like a horror movie macabre or mannequin. His flesh was an inhuman shade of white. Mud and a dark rich red blood caked his hair and head, plastering his usually tame brown hair to his head. His eye was swollen shut and where his face wasn't swollen was dirty and covered with dried streaks of grime and streaks of crimson.

Carter's face held none of its usual charm, sweetness, or animation that he was loved and endeared for. This was not their Carter. This man was still, deathly still, and every inch of his skin had a blue tinge to it that suggested he was very cold and was not long of this world if he didn't get help soon.

His arm was restrained. After it had hung at a ridiculous angle above his head for so long, it was now taped at his side, fastened in haste with a metal rod to prevent it from rupturing an artery. His soaked blue shirt was wide open exposing his black and blue chest with stark indentations where strong ribs should be. As the remainder of the paramedics MAST equipment was removed, the rest of the terror was revealed as a gasp was heard from the direction of Carol and a multitude of audible intakes of breath rang out when his legs were exposed. One thigh was twice its normal size bursting through his pants and the other dripping dark blood with a metal jagged piece in it the size of a 24 inch window frame. He had no shoes or socks on, and his feet were the only part of his body not covered with mud, dirt, or blood.

"Hey guys...this guy Carter fixed me up when I nearly cut my finger off...cleanest scar I've ever seen. Make him all better, ok doc?" The paramedic announced patting Mark on his shoulder snatching him from his thoughts.

"We'll take it from here."

"I need some scrubs!" Benton shouted. Haleh ran in the opposite direction...towards the doctors lounge at his comment

"I got it."

"Jerry, get on the phone and call Carter's grandmother the number is hanging on the computer. Tell her to get here now!" Mark shouted.

"Give me the bullet." he demanded as Peter stopped compressions and everyone was able to take a glimpse at their fallen friend. The paramedic began his spiel:

"26 year old John Carter, MVA vehicle collision with vehicle ejection." Mark's eyes widened at that as they carefully began peeling Carter's belongings away from him and unstrapping him from the gurney. "BP 70/30, Low pulse was lost in transit, tachy at 120- 160 with two amps of epi, Resps shallow and constricted at 2, GCS 5 to motor. Hypothermic temp 93.

They transfered Carter from the paramedic gurney, to the hospital gurney and begin moving out of the lobby.

Peter Benton re-emerged in the room in blue scrubs as Mark was shouting out orders for tests.

"CBC, Portable Chest, ABG, Chem 7, X-Lap,Type and Cross for 6."

"Get that EKG set up now...Where's the portable chest?"

Mark tried to shake the fear from his voice. "Peter what the hell happened to him?"

"I don't know Mark, when I got there his car was on top of him. I palpatated his abdomen in the field and found massive edema and pooling in the abdomen. "

"X-Ray!"

"Here...I'm here!" the technician shouted from the corner, she'd already been summoned and was waiting. No one bothered to leave the room they just stood and watched.

"Shooting."

"Pressure is still falling, spin a crit." he screamed "That warm saline in yet?"

"Saline and D5 running wide open" Haleh responded.

The x-ray technician collected her films.

"I need those stat."

"You got it."

"Dr. Benton he's still tachy at 140...resps of 2 on 100% oxygen by mask ."

" He's not getting enough air!" Peter shouted.

"I'm on it, I need an intubation tray please." Mark shouted to no one in particular as it was magically placed within inches of his grasp on a stainless steel tray.

"Where's the foley?"

"Getting there!" Carol shouted. She un-did Carter's belt cut his jeans and removed them carefully cuting around the large piece of metal in his leg. She cut Carter's boxers next and covered him with cloth as Mark, Peter and Haleh worked furiously.

Within moments she announced: "Foley's in."

"Cords are tight and constricted, blood in his throat, I can't see a damn thing."

Kerry hobbled in from the other room and shined a pen light in as Mark continued to try and intubate Carter. She pulled on his jaw and pulled out on his adam's apple to create cricoid pressure in his airway.

"Got it! Thanks, I'm in." he announced.

"Belly is bulging and warm, he's hypovolemic."

"Pulse is 150 he's in v-tach..."

"An amp of epi, and push two units of O-neg on the rapid infuser."

"Peter, how many epi's is that?" as he inserted the central line and used a thin silky catheter to run the line into his chest.

"Three." he said

"Dr. Benton, foley output is dark red, he's bleeding heavily." Carol announced. Pressure is down to 60...he's going asystole."

"Shit! Another amp of epi and one amp of atropine."

"Hold that order! Peter we have to shock him, what are you doing...you're gonna kill him!" Kerry announced as she continued to bag Carter.

"Damn it Kerry, if I shock him with this metal in his leg I am gonna fry him. " He snatched the epi himself and ramned it into Carter's hip.

"X-rays are back!" the technician announced placing them in the lighted board as Doug Ross came into the room to look.

"Four broken ribs, two are fragmented, lung is collapsed. Belly and chest are full of fluid. Metal is jammed into the tibia pretty good."

"Can't wait any longer I have to cut this metal out and stop this infernal bleeding." Peter announced.

"Dr. Benton OR- 6 is ready, Dr. Morgenstern is waiting to assist."

Alright let's move him!" Peter screamed as the wire sand cables were unhooked and Mark took over bagging Carter. Carol was applying constant pressure squeezing fluids into his veins, trying desperately to raise his blood pressure. Peter walked nearly backwards down the hall towards the elevator listening to Carter's chest with a stethescope. Haleh grabbed a sheet and raced towards the door to cover Carter's bloody legs and lower half before they emerged into the busy coridor.

"Rales on both sides, some spontaneous breath on right."

As Carter was wheeled into the hallway a man came frantically up to Dr. Green. He nearly collided into him knocking the ambu bag from his grasp.

"What the hell? Watch it!"

"I'm sorry! I'm looking for my wife, she was in a car accident...can you help me find her doctor?"

"Check the front desk." Mark said continuing toward the elevator as Peter continued to check Carter's input and output levels.

"Please I need to find her, she has blonde hair...we were arguing on the phone ...and...then she hit something and...I just need to find her..." he grunted scratching his beard and holding on to Mark's jacket.

"Sir! Please... Haleh!"

"Get this clown outta here!" Benton bellowed as the elevator doors opened.

"I'm on it Mark!"

"Help me!" he almost screamed his brown eyes twitching.

"Sir...look let's go to the desk, I'll check to see if your wife is here."

"What's her name sir?"

"Name?...um Sam...uh Samantha...Samantha Sobriki."

_**Want more? Click Review and tell me how the story should go...or share your thoughts. I've got writer's block! JUST REVIEW! : )**_


	8. Chapter 8: Broken

**Disclaimer: Still not mine...but if they were mine..I'd be making some money on reruns! What the hey?**

_Previously..._

_"I need you to help me find my wife..."_

_"What's her name sir?" Haleh asked_

_"Her name? Sam, Samantha Sobriki."_

**Chapter 8 **

**Broken**

The elevator closed as Carol, Peter and Mark stared down at their unconscious patient. The only sounds they could hear was the whoosh every three seconds of the breather bag and the clanking of the elevator as they stared at the extremely pale, pasty version of John Carter that lay before them. Each of them glanced up at each other, their eyes holding the absolute fear of losing him.

2:15 a.m.

The clicking of heels on old linoleum could barely be heard above the roar of the conversation behind the emergency room information desk. A woman wearing a conservative blue dress and black heels strode into the busy doors of County ER, clutching a black leather handbag tightly. It was unusual for her to be awake at this hour, but she walked with smooth movements despite her age, and gently pulled an offending lock of grey hair behind her ear as she approached the information desk. An elderly woman stood in front of the desk as Jerry, Malik and two other nurses stood talking about a patient.

"Excuse me." she announced, but was ignored.

"They say he was hit head on."

"...trapped under the car for hours...buried under his own car..."

"Poor guy, I heard they may have to cut his leg off."

"Where did you hear that?"

"Man, I would hate to have Benton working on me to save my live after he's rode my ass all day. What if he decided to leave an instrument or something in there just to piss you off ?" Malik said.

"Guys, it's not funny...this is serious Carter could die, just think positive thoughts.

" They used six bags of blood...I never seen anybody survive using that much when he was still losing it."

Kerry Weaver rounded the corner and caught the tail end of their conversation. As she looked at the counter her face lost all color as she looked into the eyes of Millicent Carter, and the anguish that was now etched on her face. Kerry smacked Malik and Jerry in the back of the legs with her cane.

"Mrs. Carter," she said loudly. "Hi...I'm Dr. Kerry Weaver, I'm one of Carter's... supervisors."  
>Mrs. Carter looked at her strangely.<p>

"His name is John. Where is my grandson Dr. Weaver?" she demanded as Kerry turned her away from desk and started towards the elevator.

"He was just taken upstairs a short time ago. He needs emergency surgery, we could not wait for next of kin consent. As an employee, Car...John is under agreement to be treated here if something happened to him. He wasn't conscious when he was brought in"

Mrs. Carter put a trembling hand to her forehead as Kerry pressed the up button on the elevator. The doors opened and they stepped into the empty cage.

"What happened to John? He called hours ago to say he was on his way ...was there an accident?"

"Yes ma'am, I am not certain of the details, but there was a vehicle collision and unfortunately he was very seriously injured. One of our surgeons, Dr. Benton was actually at the scene and is operating on him now."

"How serious? Will he be alright?"

"From what I was told he was hit in a head on collision, and the vehicle flipped and ejected John. He was trapped under the vehicle for a few hours before he was found and he therefore has some significant internal injuries and some broken limbs." Kerry spoke with a level of clinical detachment she was amazed that she was capable of.

Mrs. Carter paled as Kerry reached to steady her, but urged her to continue.

"It was fortuitous that Dr. Benton was in the area near the accident, he was able to stabilize John long enough to get him to the hospital."

"Oh my heavens, he was coming to see me...I demanded he come out to the house..."

"Mrs. Carter...as far as we know it was a freak accident, the other driver was brought in as well. We hope to get a statement from her to find out exactly what happened."

"I don't care about how it happened, I just want my grand son to be alright. I couldn't forgive myself if he didn't make it through this. "

"We will do everything in our power to make sure he is okay, but I would notify his parents, they should be here." they stepped out of the elevators as she led Mrs. Carter into the surgery waiting area.

"I'll talk to my son Jack, but they are out town. You just let me know if there is anything that John needs, a specialist or any equipment, you do whatever it takes to save my grandson." She said firmly.

As Peter Benton held the insanely sharp scapel in his hands he stared one last time at the young innocent face of his student that lay before him. He listened to the air being forced into his lungs to keep him alive, and the sounds of a heart beating still to fast. "Too young" he thought to himself, he couldn't let anything happen to Carter, not on his watch.

He stared at the swollen flesh of his patient's abdomen, yellowed by betadine and made a lateral incision. He immediately requested suction as the area started to bleed profusely. It was expected as he knew at the very least two organs were damaged or completely ruptured. As a nurse suctioned he continued to cut through skin, then fat and muscle as he entered the cavity to discover the bruised and battered inner organs of his patient. "Humpty dumpty" he thought to himself as he began his work. So diligent in his concentration he barely heard the words of the other surgeon.

"Dr. Benton, I'll need you assistance removing the remaining shrapnel from his leg

"Dr. Morgenstern, I'm into the abdominal wall..."

"Peter...look at his leg...he's going to lose the damn thing if we don't get this out of here, I'm certain it's lodged in an artery. "

So intent on the exceptional amount of internal bleeding bottoming out Carter's blood pressure, Peter considered the sharpnel a secondary task. After all, they had not been able to get an x-ray and had only been able to get a cursory exam in the ER. He placed a sterile plastic gauze over the freshly opened wound and turned to the leg wound as a nurse continued to irrigate the wound with a plasma substitute.

Dr. Morgenstrn took another look at the shrapnel, and cut around its frayed jagged edges into the middle of his naked pale deep blue thigh, and bit at his own lip as he hit pay dirt.

As he instructed Peter and one other nurse to pull, they lifted out the jagged metal, and Carter's leg immediately began to lose its dark blue color, but with each pulse of his heart a film of deep red arterial blood oozed from the wound in his leg.

"Pressure is 80/60 and dropping...pulse increasing...130. "

"Damn it ...it did knick the artery. The two doctors frantically went into the task of cleansing and then trying to locate the free bleeding damaged artery before their patient died of unrecoverable blood loss. His blood pressure was already so dangerously low he was nearly comatose.

They changed Carter into the head down position and elevated his legs to keep his remaining blood volume in his heart and brain as they tried desperately to replace the volume. Every available nurse was squeezing in liters of fluid with their bare hands trying to increase fluid volume to the patient as the nightmarish procedure continued.

******************************************************************************************  
>Mark Green and Doug Ross found themselves in the surgery waiting area. Their shift had been over for more than four hours, but they could not bring themselves to leave. Ever since Benton had come barreling in the door with one of their own laid out in the most vulnerable way possible, they had been able to think about nothing else. Like zombies awaiting damnation they counted as the second hour of Carter's surgery ticked off. Sitting in the uncomfortable plastic chairs they had so often forced their own patients to "wait patiently" in they sipped from the black tar the cafeteria affectionately called coffee.<p>

As they exchanged banter about the time when Mark and Susan put a cast on Carter's leg and laughed heartedly, about Carter's reaction to its chainsaw removal, they were sickened by an interruption in their thought as an echo came over the over head announcement.

"**Code blue OR 6**, **Code blue OR 6**." The voice said.

Doug visibly paled as the coffee in his hand was dropped to the floor - quickly forgotten - as he looked at his comrade's equally shocked face.

Each of them leapt to their feet as they headed to the surgery desk to verify the obvious. This time of morning there was only one patient being operated on...only one patient at death's door...at 4:23 a.m. It was John Truman Carter.

#########################################################################

**Two more chapters to wrap this up...unless you want more...Will Carter die? Want faster updates? Please read and review! : ) I work for feedback! ; )**


	9. Chapter 9: Requiem

**Author: Jadeblueafterglow17**

_**Title: Into the Darkness**_

**Disclaimer:** _I would like to take John Carter (**Noah Wyle**)...and a bowl of fruit and just eat off of his belly...can I do that? Is that a disclaimer? No? Well they are not mine they belong to someone who doesn't believe in showing RERUNS!_

_Chapter 9 - Requiem_

A called Code Blue authorizes the opening of a crash cart and additional personnel to report to a specified area. OR-6 already had the best available present. Two of the best surgeons and three of its best nurses all worked feverishly to stabilize the patient.

Dr. Morgenstern charged the paddles again, as the whine of a monotone beep filled the air.

"350...clear!" His body leapt from the table as a V-tach rhythm appeared briefly and then faded.

"He's not getting enough blood to the heart, I'm going to have to crack his chest and tamponade."

"Wait Peter...let's try once more, push another amp of atropine and flush...charge to 400..."

"He's had too much epi on board...he's flooded out on fluids he's drowning damn it!"

"Peter, charge it...Now!" Dr. Morgenstern place the paddles in mid air and found an undisturbed spot on Carter's breast bone and placed the paddles once more. "Clear." he screamed as Peter stepped back...again more bright red arterial blood oozed from his leg.

They stared at the machine as the long straight line continued. Peter's head fell to his chest as he placed the scalpel down on the table. Dr. Morgenstern continued to stare patiently at the machine willing the straight line to change but it did not. As he turned to look at the clock he noticed members of the ER staff standing in the window of the scrub room and saw the pure anguish on their faces as they too saw the defeat in his eyes. He glanced up at the clock...

"Time of death..." he began as he waited for the second hand to make it to 12 but it never made it...at least he never saw it because he was distracted.

The sound of a beep filtered through his psyche and he wondered if he actually imagined it. When he heard it a second time he turned to the source, and looked at the machine that was monitoring Carter's heart. It wasn't a steady rhythm but something was happening.

Dr. Morgenstern injected an additional half amp of epinephrine.

Peter Benton was already way ahead of him. He was already digging back into his leg working to tie off the bleeder as he talked to Carter.

"C'mon Carter...that's right...come on back. You've got to get a rhythm...you can do it." He worked furiously to suction the area of his leg as Dr. Morgenstern continued to stare in shock. Within seconds the rhythm began to pace, and they held their breaths collectively hoping the pressure was steady enough to push blood in and out of his heart.

***********************************************************************************************************  
><em>In the ER<em>

Susan walked in and waved to the desk and placed her belongings in her locker. She was shocked to find Dr. Del Amico asleep sitting up on the couch and beside her nurse Hathaway, her face raw and red from irritation, sound asleep as well. There was no aroma of coffee brewing which was strange in itself. She quietly grabbed a new coffee pack and made a pot before exiting the lounge.

She meandered out to the front desk and looked up at the board. Haleh & Kerry were deep in discussion over a computer monitor. Jerry was half nibbling at a doughnut as he stared at the computer screen and Lydia floated by her without saying a word. There were only five patients on the board. Dr. Gant was tending to three of them and one was admitted to medicine. She stared at one last entry on the board and scratched her head. The entry stated "Carter, Benton, MVA, Surgery - 6." She thought it was odd to have the intern and surgeon's name on the board but tossed the thought from her mind as she stared at her colleagues.

Susan stood in the middle of the floor and scratched her head.

"Okay guys what gives? Somebody die or something?" she asked lightheartedly chuckling. "You guys are too quiet."

Kerry walked over to her and placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. The look on her face was grim and made her feel instantly sick. Something was very wrong, and she was sure the words about to come from her mouth were not ones that she wanted to hear.

"What is it Kerry?" "What's wrong?"

"Carter." she stammered trying to keep her emotions in check.

"What? What happened?" She said grabbing her by the arm.

"He was in a car accident last night, vehicle ejection, Benton has him in surgery now. They ...just called a code a little while ago." Susan's facade crumbled as she held on to Kerry.

"I just talked to him yesterday...God, I was just joking that he should get a real car...cause that jeep was going to...oh my God." Susan shook her head and leaned against the desk.

They were snatched from their thoughts by Jerry's booming voice.

"Dr. Weaver, phone for you. It's the OR." Kerry hobbled over to the phone and took a deep breath. She tensed as she put the phone to her ear, and exhaled.

"This is Kerry Weaver." she listened intently, nodding as a crowd began to form around her. A sleepy Carol, and a rather nervous Haleh holding the hand of Lydia, who sat next to a wide - eyed Anna Del Amico. Susan leaned against the counter trying to hear the words, but could only hear Kerry's part of the convesration.

Kerry's eyes filled with more unshed tears. "Thank you for letting us know, I will inform everyone. " she said as she tried to compose herself.

Kerry took a tissue and wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, staring at the somber faces around her. She cleared her throat and glanced at the faces of her colleagues and then she did something completely unexpected, she laughed.

"Kerry?"

"The code is over...Carter made it through. He's not out of the woods but they got his heartbeat back." She smiled a watery smile.

**********************************************************************************************************  
>Mark Green saw the blips return to screen and he reached over and kissed Doug on the cheek. Doug didn't flinch. He was so overjoyed that Carter had fought his way back he could have beat Mark to the punch and not felt the least bit unmanly.<p>

A nurse wiped Dr. Benton's brow with a cloth for the third time this hour. He was performing critical, very intricate stitches that had to be just right. The strain had him perspiring heavily; never mind the sheer exhaustion of being awake for more than 24 hours.

Dr. Benton worked methodically as he sewed up the last of the more than 95 stitches he'd already sewn in Carter's abdominal wall after removing damaged pieces. Dr. Morgenstern was working on the slight tear at the bottom of John's lungs when he saw them begin to pink up through a sideways glance in his direction.

"Dr. Carter's trying to be a model patient now. His blood pressure has risen a few points, and his heart rate is still low but fortunately there have been no more cardiac episodes."

"We're still fighting the blood loss. I repaired the kidney, but his abdomen was full of blood. The trauma of this much blood loss and the shock of that much blood product replacement to his immune system may just be too much."

"Yes, that troubles me too. Core temperature is rising, he warmed from hypothermia to normal with little intervention. Be ready to close in 30 minutes. I will run pins in this arm and collar and immobilize it till it can be operated on."

"Yes sir." he replied as he worked at a faster pace.

"We have worked to hard on Dr. Carter, we are not going to lose him now."  
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++<p>

_**You asked for family...coming up next. Possibly the last chapter. Running out of ideas. As always review. Suggestions Appreciated = )**_


	10. Chapter 10:Family

**Into The Darkness**

**Author: Jadeblueafterglow17**

***********************************************************************************************************  
><em>Chapter 10 - Family<em>

A well dressed man , with manicured hands stepped from the elevator. Closely at his heels a petite dark haired female with large brown eyes. They saw a familiar face as they quicly approached the elderly female.

Millicent Carter felt a firm hand on her shoulder as she was jostled awake. It'd been a long night filled with terrifying news and she was still waiting for word on her grandson. She thought she would just close her weary eyes for a few minutes.

"Oh...oh my...what time is it?"

"A quarter after nine."

"Mother, what happened? Where's John?"

"Jack he was in surgery all night. Dr. Benton came out a few hours ago and said they were moving him to the surgical intensive care unit."

"Will he be alright?" Eleanor Carter finally spoke up, clutching her purse in one arm and a cup of coffee in the other, its steam wafting into the frigid stale hospital air.

"He said the next 24 hours were critical. All of John's associates were up here all night with me, they must have gone back to work, perhaps that is a good sign." she moved past her son and daughter-in-law as she made her way to the SICU desk.

A nurse looked up John's information and came around the desk to escort Mrs. Carter back to John's room as Jack and Eleanor stood dumbfounded.

Millicent Carter slowly walked in the isolation room and approached the bed. She noticed John's doctor sitting in a chair, softly snoring clutching his chart. She knew from the nurses that he'd refused to leave his side all night and had promised her that he would not be alone. He kept his promise. She turned her attention back to her grandson and she felt herself become slightly lightheaded as she grabbed for the frame of his bed to steady herself.

He had a myriad of tubes and wires criss crossing his chest and draining off the side of his body. Bags of fluid hung from his body and several more dripped from tall poles into his pale battered and bruised body. With nothing but a sheet to cover a fraction of his frame, she could tell there was no part of him that escaped injury. His wounds were deep and profuse and blood soaked bandages covered incisions. The sound of air being forced into his body by the respirator nearly broke her heart as she recalled the last breath her late husband took when that same machine was turned off. Tears sprang to her eyes as she traced a finger around Carter's mouth praying he could breathe on his own again soon. She moved up his swollen, barely recognizable face and softly touched his hair.

"John sweetheart...Gamma's here. Everything's going to be alright." She reached down and grasped his left hand and squeezed gently. She turned as she felt Dr. Benton stir behind her.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, ma'am I need to check John's vitals," he said staring at the machines and making notations in the chart. He was interrupted by a page from the nurse on the call switch.

"Dr. Benton?"

"Yes?"

"Dr. Carter's parents are here. I have explained several times that only two visitors are allowed at a time in the ICU however..."

"It's alright...send them back Sylvia, I'll allow it this time."

Within a few moments Jack and Eleanor Carter were escorted into the small intensive care room as Millicent Carter stepped away from the bed.

Peter stared up at Jack Carter...in him he saw only a fragment of Carter...his height had to come from him as his mother was a petite woman, the strong jaw line and nose were definitely characteristics of his father but nothing else. As he glanced at his mother the rest of Carter's features fell into place, his brown eyes and hair, his face, and that patented look of frustration and worry that had always sucked Benton in even when he was infuriated with Carter was there. He knew that his personality had come from his stubborn grandmother but he wondered what other traits his seemingly distant parents had passed on to their son.

Jack stormed towards the bed as Eleanor timidly followed behind shaking her head unbelievingly as she turned to face the wall.

"What have you done to him? What happened to my son?"

"What have I done?"

"He was only in a car accident, what the hell happened...he looks..." Jack Carter began and started to peel away John's bandages, but Peter stepped in and swatted his hand away.

"You said the surgery was several hours ago why does he look this way?

Peter Benton rubbed his hands down his face in frustration and sat John's chart down on the table. Taking a deep breath to calm his fury over the idiocy of their statement he tried to smile but managed nothing more than a grimace as his right hand moved through the air animating his voice.

"Mr. Carter, Mrs. Carter, John was hit in a near head on collision where he not only fell more than 60 feet into a ravine," Eleanor Carter suddenly paled and turns to look at her son as Peter continued. "but he was ejected from the vehicle and then was trapped underneath the vehicle for several hours."

"Oh my God."

"Maybe we should have him moved to a private hospital; we can get a specialist to help him recover faster."

"With all due respect sir, I am John's physician, and he is under my care. He will not be moved until I approve his transfer. Your son died twice last night. His heart stopped in excess of three or more minutes. He was able to fight his way back with our assistance. You must understand his situation is critical, if infection sets in, an aneurysm or embolism occurs he could be gone in a matter of minutes. "

"And John put me in charge of his care should anything happen to him, you have no say whatsoever in his treatment. He stays here. His friends are here and I am sure they will do anything and everything in their power to make sure he gets better." Millicent interjected turning to face her son and daughter in law.

Jack Carter's mouth hung slightly ajar, his wife who had been prepared to retaliate suddenly clung to him her eyes brimming with tears as the realization of losing their only remaining son became all too real.

Eleanor almost in a daze nearly floated past them and placed her hand on John's chest as she gently touched every wound she saw and tears leapt from her eyes falling onto the docile body below. Her voice full of emotion barely spoke above a whisper.

"Why isn't he waking up?"

"He needs the rest, he has multiple head injuries and that could be affecting his state of consciousness. He just came through five hours of surgery where he had lacerations to his left kidney. We took a piece of his spleen out, repaired nicked and torn blood vessels, and sewed up his liver and abdominal wall. He's got over a hundred stitches just inside his abdomen alone. His leg was a mess of stitches and we still have to set and repair the arm you see there that is being held together by pins. He needs to sleep so his body can heal."

Eleanor smiled as she looked down at John she swept his brown hair off his forehead.

"He always looked so sweet when he was sleeping as a little boy, I use to think as long as they were asleep in their beds I could protect them from anything." her words broke off. "keep them safe." She continued to stare down at her son, the tears falling on his chest.

Jack Carter left the room in a huff as Peter Benton also excused himself from the room.

Peter caught up to Jack Carter and grabbed his shoulder his anger and lack of sleep was getting the best of him.

"Hey. Mr. Carter."

"We've given enough money to this damn hospital, my son will be moved."

"That's not going to happen."

"Do you know who I am?" Jack Carter matched Peter Benton in height but braun Peter could benchpress the man and have room left over for a snack.

"I don't care who you are. The only thing I care is that John Carter is my intern, and he's my friend and I'm not going to let anything happen to him. Everyone in this hospital depends on him, and we would never put him in harms way." He got closer to his face. " The only thing I am concerned with is getting him well. If you have a problem with that, then perhaps you need to go back to Switzerland, or Austria or whererver it is you abandon your son to."

Peter slammed the chart into its rack and stormed down the hall, he nearly knocked Kerry Weaver and Mark Green down as they exited the elevator. ***********************************************************************************************************  
><strong><em>This was a nice long chapter...how bout some reviews...what should I do? Does Jack Carter have the "set" to go up against Peter Benton when Carter's life is on the line?<em> **

**This will be the last chapter if you don't make some suggestions...I have had 3 requests to kill Carter, that'll only take a paragraph! Schools about to start again and I need to wrap this up!**


	11. Chapter 11: Finding the Light

_**Into The Darkness**_

_Author: Jadeblueafterglow17_

_Note: Thanks for your patience it's been a rough few weeks. I have another ER story in the works...including Part II of this. But, Falling Skies conclusion and Star Trek new story must come first. Enjoy...and please send story ideas and suggestions my way._

**Oh yeah...Review...**

**Chapter 11- Finding the Light**

***********************************************************************************************************  
>Peter Benton donned a gown and mask as he entered the ICU cubicle containing his patient. After Carter had been returned to his room he'd immediately been scheduled for his second surgery to repair the significant damage to his arm. Since Carter was already deeply unconscious they could only safely complete the operation with a local anesthetic.<p>

Carter awakened 24 hours after surgery but had been fighting pneumonia and other broad nosocomial infections over the last two days. His condition continued to worsen as he fought with bouts of consciousness. A security guard had been placed at his ICU door to keep out Jack Carter at his grandmother's insistence. Three days ago he'd managed to get an ambulance transfer to attempt to move Carter from the ICU while Benton was taking a much needed break at home. When the Emergency call came in from Mark Green and Millicent Carter, they'd already had Carter strapped to a gurney, his fresh wounds exposed to the hospital as they tried to transport him to the roof to escape via helicopter.

Peter Benton stared down at his still swollen and bruised knuckles as they ached with the memory of the fast punches landing on Jack Carter's face.

_(3 days ago)_

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm taking my son to a better hospital. Presbyterian Hospital in New York is the best for him, and I have a team of specialists ready to work on him as soon as he arrived" Jack Carter dug his hands into his dark grey trench coat as he stared down Peter Benton.

"He is too weak to make that trip."

"I would not put him in danger, I have a doctor and all the necessary materials to keep him comfortable."

"I don't think you are understanding me." he got up in his face and stopped the gurney. The nurse currently bagging Carter was suddenly tense as she was pumping so fast she was nearly hyperventilating him as she watched.

"I am his doctor. Mrs. Carter did not sign off on his transfer, and he's not going anywhere."

"Return Dr. Carter to his room immediately and get him back on the vent."

Jack Carter grinned at him as he smiled ferrally. Benton stood stoically and wasn't completely shocked to find a fist come flying at his face. His head flew to the side, as days of inadequate sleep had finally caught up with him and dulled his reflex responses.

A growl came to Peter's lips as he smiled and thoughts of his career flashed through his mind.

"Well... being a Wal-Mart greeter is not so bad." he thought.

He launched a ferocious punch at Jack carter's face and like a robot the punches continued. He'd landed three punches before the elder Carter made it to the linoleum tiled floor. Within seconds restraining arms were at his back on both sides. He slung them away as one last punch landed connected with his target's jaw and Jack Carter eyes fell closed. His fist was grabbed in mid-air .

"Dammit, Peter stop it!." Peters resolve was broken by the voice of Dr, Morgenstern as he held fiercely to his hand. He noticed his other arm was forcibly held by Mark Green. He snatched both of his appendages back and stormed off in the direction of the ICU.

"I wanna file assault charges against that bastard." he shouted.

Mark smiled. "Nothing like taking one for the team." he whispered to himself.

Benton placed the powered latex gloves on his hands closed the isolation door, and pulled up a stool with sterile coverings over up to Carter's bed. He elevated Carter's head above his heart so he was sitting up in the bed.

Peter checked every port and tube, and wire covering his patient. He looked at the plate and pins holding his arm together and was satisfied with the full cast

Without knowing why...he began talking out loud to his patient.

"You know, your parents have been here. After meeting them I can understand why you feel like you're an orphan. I see where you get your stubborn streak from." He adjusted the central line and made notes in the chart.

"Your mother, she seems kind of lost Carter. I know you told me that you had a brother and she wasn't the same after he died, but surely she knows that she has another son who needs that kind of devotion too. I don't know. I guess I can't judge. I don't have any kids of my own." he continued as he removed the blood tinged bandages and carefully replaced them on pale white skin. He could feel the heat radiating off of Carter's feverish skin and adjusted the setting of the cooling mat that he lay on.

"Your father. Man, your father is... " He laughed out loud. "Your old man is crazy. Well I guess I shouldn't say that too loud. He's suing the hospital for me keeping you here, but thank God your grandmother got me an attorney. She refuses to give him an inch."

Benton reduced the flow on the respirator forcing Carter to work a little harder to trigger the vent and strengthen his lungs. He hoped to get his fever down in the next 24 hours.

"Carter, for all their eccentricities, I think deep down they really do love you, they just are so wrapped up in their own selves to express. it. Maybe the loss of a child can do that to you, maybe coming this close to losing you will turn them around. Your mother and grandmother are here around the clock. Your mother seems scared to death of sickness, she doesn't want to come in, but she watches you. She stands at the window and watches you sleep for hours Carter."

Noticing that the Jackson Pratt was no longer collecting fluid, he wrote a DC order in Carter's chart and got the necessary equipment to remove the drain himself. He removed the sterile tape and began to tug at the tubing that went deep into his abdomen draining the fluid off his stomach and intestines. The firm tugging was necessary to dislodge the tube without pulling any interior sutures or stitching.

" I hope I made the right decision man. I hope I did what you would want me to do. You're a good man Carter, way more than I ever gave you credit for. I couldn't live with myself if you... " he felt a lump in his throat and a prickly feeling at his eyes as he reached up and gently squeezed Carter's hand. He would get his friend through this.

***** Friend**** he contemplated again. A word he never used generously.

He pulled the remaining tube completely out, quickly suturing the hole there and placing a sterile dressing over it. He sat back down and stared warily at Carter's face. He was astonished to see a pair of brown eyes staring at him.

The eyes were tired but were clearly focused on his face. Benton grabbed his pen light out of his pocket and started to shine them at Carter's glassy eyes. He voluntarily closed his eyes and groaned.

"Ok. Ok...the light is off. Can you follow my finger?" He held his index finger and Carter's eyes slowly began tracking the finger in every direction it moved.

Peter sighed and a grin widened on his face.

"Welcome back man." A slow blink was his only reply a shaky hand began to reach upwards toward his mouth as he felt the air being pushed into his chest at a regular interval.

Benton quickly took his hand and placed it back at his side.

"I'll see about taking out the vent and replacing it with oxygen. But I need to get a portable chest first. You've been battling pneumonia and I don't want any more setbacks. He slid his mask down carefully. Are you in pain Carter?"

Carter slowly shook his head in the negative but Benton could tell from the strain on his face that he was lying.

"You need your rest, you've been to hell and back." Carter's eyes widened at that statement.

"Yes. Hell...you have no idea the fun you've missed. I'll have to enlighten you. Me and your dear old dad are bosom buddies now. In fact he's suing me for assault."

Carter rolled his eyes and then closed them staring at the wall."

"Don't worry, your grandmother put him in his place. She's a force to be reckoned with. How you managed to defy her and become a doctor is beyond me." Carter turned to face him." But I'm glad you did. It's good to have you back ." He patted his leg as he began to walk away. He stood in the doorway writing notes in Carter's chart removing his sterile gloves and mask.

"Rest for a while. I'm going to give you something for pain and while you are out we'll ge the vent out, and I'll let everybody know you're... awake." He glanced in time to see that Carter had once again closed his eyes and was breathing and triggering the vent as a conscious person. He smiled and exited the room heading to the waiting room.

*********************************************************************************************************************************  
>Three days later<p>

Carter sat up in his bed as his mother Eleanor fed him spoonfuls of homemade broth. He'd flat-out refused to eat the hospital food, and had only relented when his grandmother had whipped up a soothing batch of broth just for him. Hints of chicken wafted into his nostrils as his nasal cannula fogged up from the steam. His bruised and battered body still too weak to manage this menial task he concentrated on listening as his grandmother read cards from his friends and coworkers.

His mother wiped a bit of broth from his smooth jaw. He was thankful that Dr. Del Amico had volunteered to shave his face, the days of hair growth on his face was beginning to itch and was driving him mad trying to scratch it with his broken limb. He would be glad when he could take care of himself. The fracture to his skull and damage to his eye was gradually getting better but he was still plagued with headaches and eye pain.

His mother led the spoon to his mouth again.

"No." he whispered. She placed the bowl down.

" John, you need to eat...you're so thin sweetheart." He smiled and patted her arm with his IV covered hand.

He tossed his head and eyes in the direction of the bowl. "Not exactly loaded with carbs mom." She picked up his bruised hand and kissed it. Carter laid his head back on the stark white pillow as heavy lids fell over chocolate-brown eyes.

The door to his room swooshed open as footfalls approached the bed. The sound of mumbling voices brought him back to awareness as he felt a warm kiss on his forehead. He opened his eyes as his mother and grandmother left the room and found himself face to face with Dr. Peter Benton.

"Carter, how are you feeling?"

"Not bad I suppose. I still don't remember what happened to me."

"It's not really important. We are going to get you up and out of that bed later today and get you out of the ICU-stepdown. You're taking up valuable space." Carter smiled.

"I'm sure there's a closet somewhere you can stuff me in to."

Benton shook his head. "Carter, this was too close for comfort. If I hadn't been going to that dinner, if I'd taken a different road..."

"Thank you."

"What?"

Thank you. " Carter said again staring up at his mentor. "We could what if ourselves into oblivion. If anyone in the world had to find me, I'm glad it was you. You wouldn't let me...I ..." Carter stumbled for words as he felt the fear of his near death experience suddenly grip him. His face grew pale and he stared into space.

"Hey I invested a lot of time and energy into you...there was no way in hell you were gonna get away that easily. You'll make a brilliant doctor, and an amazing surgeon one day...can't let an accident get in the way of that." Benton said turning away from him, writing notes in his chart. Carter was so emotional sometimes he couldn't bear to look at him for fear his own façade would crumble.

"You're welcome." he whispered. " There's someone who'd like to see you do you feel up to talking to her for a few minutes?"

"Do I know her...Who is it?"

Dr. Benton opened the door and let in the woman. She took one look at Carter and burst into tears as she immediately fell into a mantra of "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry she protested falling to her knees at his bedside. Carter stared at Benton with a confused look on his face as if to ask "What's wrong with her.

"She was driving the car that struck you, she was the person who told us where you were, if it wasn't for her we might not have been able to save you in time."

The woman stood up, wiping her tear soaked hands on her blue jeans and smiled a watery smile at Carter. Exhaustion still flittered across his face as he tried desperately to remember what happened.

"I'm so sorry all this happened." she cried.

"It's okay...It was an accident."

"I'll pay all the bills and if you want to press charges, I'm fine with that too...I just wanted to make sure you were okay, I was so worried they said you were unconscious for so long, and then you got sick...God I'm so sorry...I'

"Miss...what's your name."

"Oh...here I am blubbering on and ...it's Samantha...Samantha Sobriki."

"Mrs. Sobriki, I don't intend to press any charges and everything else we can work out with insurance...please don't worry." he said tiredly as a yawn crept from his throat.

Dr. Benton sensing his exhaustion tapped Mrs. Sobriki on the shoulder and lead her from the room. He then stepped back in to check on Carter before writing orders to D/C the IV lines for a chest tube and for him to be moved to a private suite.

"She's a little wired" he whispered. Benton laughed.

"You could say that. She thought she killed someone...I think you would be too."

"Next time warn me. I'm completely naked under here, its bad enough half the hospital has stopped by here. I'll be sure to stay off that road in the future, don't want to tempt fate. Sobriki." he sighed. "That's a strange name ...sure I won't forget that." his voice trailed off as his lips parted and he was once again glanced at him. There was twelve-year-old Carter again, his hair partially covering bandaged bruises on his forehead, looking quite young.

"I know I won't forget this... Sweet dreams Carter." Benton whispered.

**The End** ******************************************************************************************************************************* **Could be A Part II: Jack Carter assault lawsuit, Carter's recovery, a catastrophic misread by Dr. Benton which causes a life threatening setback in his recovery...a chance meeting with Paul Sobriki. how interested are you?**  
><strong>Review Please!<strong>


End file.
